Carbon Neutral Homes Coming To Raynes Park

Top estate agent Hamptons is marketing a new apartment scheme by Zero Developments that is setting new standards for low-carbon homes.

With energy efficiency and green credentials becoming essential to the future of the property industry, there is an increasing number of new build developments being brought to the market with a focus on sustainability at their core and Hamptons is now promoting The Zero, which has been meticulously designed and constructed with sustainability at the absolute forefront of the developer’s mind.

This private development of 35 residential apartments recently won the Energy Efficiency Award 2022 for the best London development. Located in Raynes Park, with the SW20 postcode, this new scheme was built with the aim of achieving zero carbon status and A-rated energy efficiency, ultimately providing occupants with significantly cheaper energy bills at no extra cost to them.

David Fell, senior analyst at Hamptons, commented: “The gap between the cost of running a new home and a second-hand one has never been wider. As energy efficiency creeps up government agendas of all colours, and the cost of heating and lighting a home becomes more expensive, new homes which come on day one with the most efficient appliances and are on average twice as well insulated are increasingly attractive to buyers.

“Our analysis shows that the average owner of a new home can run it for the same costs paid by owners of similarly sized older homes a decade ago. This gap that looks set to widen given that it’s much harder and more expensive to upgrade second-hand homes retrospectively. At the same time the technology going into new homes uses increasingly small amounts of energy as efficiency ratings are tightened.”

The process to create a carbon neutral building was a challenge that developer Max Smith welcomed: “For the construction process, problem solving skills and the ability to ‘think outside the box’ were needed more so than with a standard conventional development. We needed a completely airtight constructed building that would lose and gain as little heat as possible but still be well ventilated. And this needed to be done as economically as possible. This was our starting point and the first major challenge to overcome.”

Special construction methods resulted in a completely airtight building with features including upgraded insulation, triple glazed windows, rock wool fire stops to every window and door opening, insulated plasterboard to each window reveal and high-spec insulated foam and thermal bridging design work to each balcony. The development benefits from the inclusion of ten Tesla Powerwall batteries which will allow any excess energy from the development's solar generation to be stored and used to power each apartment

This attitude was extended to the appliances within each apartment as well. Max Smith added: “The kitchen appliances themselves needed to be highly efficient,” comments Max. “We wanted high end appliances with the best energy ratings, and Siemans held the solution that best suited the energy calculations. Not only do they look better than other brands, they have better functionality. We were also sure to include boiling filtered water taps which are incredibly energy efficient; the tank stored below the sink runs for 24 hours providing boiling water on demand but only uses the same amount of energy as boiling a full kettle once!”

While all steps have been taken to make this scheme as sustainable as possible, the design of the apartments has not been compromised. In fact, each of the one- and two-bedroom apartments has been intelligently designed to make the most of open-plan living, with glass internal doors allowing light to flood the living spaces, and every property has private outdoor space. The specification includes Italian kitchens using the highest-quality recycled materials including luxurious Silestone worktops, and the bathrooms feature Crosswater sanitaryware.

The Zero is conveniently located in Raynes Park, a suburb set less than 1.5 miles away from Wimbledon Village. The local high street was a Great British High Street finalist in 2015 and offers every amenity one needs including a range of restaurants, pubs, leisure facilities, shops and parks. Raynes Park is home to one of the highest proportions of green space in south-west London, with numerous parks and sports grounds. Directly opposite The Zero is the biggest David Lloyd health centre in the UK, currently undergoing an £8million overhaul. Commuting is easy, with Raynes Park station being a short walk from the development and a train to Waterloo taking just 22 minutes. Road links are also easily accessible.

Prices at The Zero SW20 start from £380,000, with Help to Buy available. Find out more at www.hamptons.co.uk.

Find retirement homes in the London Borough of Merton
Find Help to Buy homes in the London Borough of Merton
Find new homes in the London Borough of Merton